Apparatus for interlockably assembling fastener stringers



F. H. ROJAHN Oct. 14, 1952 APPARATUS FOR INTERLOCKABLY ASSEMBLING FASTENER STRINGERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 2'7, 1948 Illllllllllll M Nu llllllllllllllllllllll Elm" r l l l INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 14, 1952 APPARATUS FOR INTERLOCKABLY ASSEM- BLING FASTENER STRINGERS Fred H. Rojahn, Lynbrook, N. Y.

Application December 27, 1948, Serial No. 67,395

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the manufacture of slide fasteners and, more particularly, to an improvedapparatus for interlockingly assembling, preparatory to mounting a slider thereon and securing top and bottom stops thereto, a pair of continuous fastener equipped stringers in which the projections 0n the meshing fasteners are presented forwardly of the heads thereof.

Specifically, it'is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for interlockingly assembling a pair of continuous fastener equipped stringers, the projections 0n the heads of the fasteners of which are presented forwardly of the heads, in a straight-line operation as they are delivered from the forming mechanism in synchronism with the same.

In the manufacture of slide fasteners, one of the main diihculties in effectuating straight-line operation lies in the fact that the projections on the heads of the fasteners as the stringers are produced extend forwardly of the fasteners, i. e. the stringers are of the backward mesh type and as such, the opposing fastener elements of the respective stringers are not readily interlockable by passage through a Y-shaped channel of the contour of a slider. It has been standard practice up to the present time, in interlockingly assembling fastener equipped continuous stringers as they are delivered with the head projection of the fasteners extending forwardly from the forming mechanism, to wind the same upon rolls and thereafter, through unwinding the rolls, to present the fastener elements with the projections of the fastener elements now disposed rearwardly thereof for intermeshing by passage through a Y-shaped channel.

In order to obviate this difllculty and to permit straight-line operation and the intermeshing of the fasteners of stringers as they are fed from the forming machine with the projections extending forwardly of the heads, in synchronism with the forming mechanism, the apparatus of the present invention includes means for guiding a pair of stringers along individual paths into converging relation at a meshing point with their fastener elements in opposed relation, mechanism for drawing the meshed stringers away from the meshing point and means operable in synchronism with the stringer forming heads, to successively engage each individual fastener element of one stringer and move it into firm engagement with a matching element of the other stringer.

A feature of the apparatus is the provision of a third path along which the joined stringers are drawn, with each of the two converging paths intersecting the third path at differentpoints. With this arrangement one stringer is bent in advance of the other to spread its adjacent elements apart, thus facilitating entry therebetween of the elements of the other stringer. In combination with the aforementioned element engaging means, this insures a firm and positive meshin of the stringer elements. apparatus includes a base plate having a longitudinal groove or channel for receiving the meshed fastener elements, and a pair of mutually converging grooves intersecting the longitudinal groove at spaced points. A cover plate overlies and completes the enclosure of the grooves and has lips parallel thereto out spaced from the base plate to form slots for the tapes of the stringers to project laterally from the channels.

A slot is formed in the longitudinal channel in alignment with the fastener elements of one stringer. Beneath this slot an arm is mounted for oscillation in the plane of the slot and carries a pawl projectable through the slot to engage the fastener elements overlying the slot. The pawl is oscillatable 0n the arm, and means are provided for projection of the pawl during forward movement thereof while allowing retraction of the pawl during its reverse movement. Means such as a link or rod, connect the pawl supporting arm to the reciprocable stringer forming heads or their operating crank means so that the pawl is reciprocated in the slot in timed relation with the passage of the stringers therealong to individually engage successive fastener elements on one stringer to assure their interlocking with mating elements on the other stringer.

A pair of friction rollers or the like are provided to draw the interlockingly assembled stringers along the third groove away from the meshing point. A ratchet may be provided on one roller and operated by a second pawl, secured to the arm supporting the first pawl, to impart step-bystep rotation to the rollers to operate them in synchronism with the stringer forming mechanism.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved slide fastener assembling machine.

Another object is to provide such a machine having means insuring positive meshing of the fastener elements.

A further object is to provide such a machine having means for separating the elements of one stringer in advance of their meeting the elements of the other stringer to insure interfitting of the fastener elements.

More specifically, the- Fig. 5 is a rear view of a portion of the cover plate Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on theline. 5- 6 Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing"the.-'

pawl in the retracted position;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a perspecitve view of the pawl and its supporting army Referring to the dra';wings', the machine; which is-m'ounted in advancexof' the..stringerforming.. heads of a .D'ouble Head. .slide fastener :appara-f tus'pincludes a central supporting block "I having: alpair cof slide plates-i I,- II securedthe'reto' and. extending downwardly therefrom: Block IIl and plates :I I are maintained as an aligned unit by pin's- I2 and bolt I3 to form-a-unit l' havingxa coplanar supporting surfacefor' the working parts of 1 themachine, such unit being supported-in alignment'with thedischarge end of the stringer forming heads.

Or'i the-outer surfaceof unit "is a-first plate .35 inner*edges==l8, iii-defining a longitudinal groove I6 haVingraised;--trapezoidal portions 'I! having 20, and sloping edge's fl, 2I. Immediately out wardly'ofplate' IB is a second plate-22 having a triangular lower end "with edges 23, 23' parallel toedges' 2 I, 2 I and=cooperating therewith tofo'rm groovesor channels 25, 25'. It will be noted that groove 25 intersects" groove at a point slightly I to the rear of theintersection of grooves '20 and Plates-I6'and22 have concentric apertures 26. -'2I"forming a seat'fo'r a coil spring 28.

Immediately outward of plate 22, is a cover: plate '30 having a generally triangular lower end The sloping sides 3 I with a rectangular nose 32. of end 3|, and the longitudinal edgesof nose 32 have inturned flanges-33,23 and 34', -34'.- The inner-surfacesofth'ese flanges are coplanar with edges 2I-, 2| and 18, I8, respectively, and the' flanges arespaced-forwardly from portions I1, I! to provide slots 35, 35. aligned by pins 36', 36 and held-assembled to unit I5 bystud 31.

A longitudinalslot 38 is formed through plate IS in th base'of channel 20. Behind this slot, a pin 4I extendstransversely of plates I I to support an arm 42 for oscillation in the plane of slot 38. Arm 42 has spaced ribs 43' carrying a pin 44 oscillatablysupporting a pawl 45 having a nose 46 projecting into slot 38 and a stop 4'I-engageable with arm 42. A spring 48 in a socket 49 in arm 42 biases pawl 45 counter-clockwise (as viewed in the drawings) with stop 41 limiting movement of,

the pawl.

Downwardly fromiunit I5, a pin 5| extends through plates I I to support a depending arm .52 having a stringer engagingroller 53 rotatable on its'outertend; .Roller' 53 is horizontally aligned with a second roller .54 keyed to a shaft 55 extendingthrough arms 52 and having a ratchet 56 fix'edon'its "outer end. Ratchet 56 cooperates with a pawl 51 on an arm 58' 'extending from arm Plates I6, 22 and 30 'are 4 42. A spring 59 holds pawl 51 against ratchet 58.

The machine operates in the following manner. Stringers 60, 60', each comprising fastener elements 6|, 6| clamped to the forward edges of tapes 62, 62' by the respective heads of the Double Head mechanism, are discharged from such mechanism into grooves 25, 25' respectively. These grooves are large enough in cross-section to receive the fastener elements;- with the tapes 62,152 projecting laterally'through'slots' 35, 35 between projections I1, I! and the inturned flanges of cover 30. The Double Head mechanism feeds the two tapes along the grooves toward the meshing point.

As the stringers pass along grooves 25, 25', stringer" 60 enters groove 20 slightly before stringer 60':v enters this groove. Due to the advance bending of stringer 60, its elements 6| are separated to facilitate the entrance of elements 6| therebetween. As both stringers enter groove 20;: thei fastenerrelements are meshedztouioinl-the stringers into'a slide fastener unit:

Alinkonrod 65" connects arm. "to the-"Double:

Headsorito. theirope'rating crank means sosthat:

pawl 45' is-reciprocatediin slot: 381m synchronism'e with the stringer formingoperation'and thepas-x sage'of stringers 60,*60'"into interlockingzengage 1 ment at the meshing/point:- As "pawl 45 moves downwardly,: it is held in a projected'position'by spring 48,Tand successively engages each-element" 6| ofstringer 60 to'mesh these elements Lpositivelywith elements 6I' ofrstringer 60.1 As pawl 45 moves. rearwardly," springs isfcom'pressed; permitting retraction of the pawl.

Each time :arm 42 :m'oves upwardly; pawl" 51- advances ratchet 56 and roller 54 by'the distancebetween two fastener elementsx Roller 54. to-

gether with roller 53, thus pulls the assembled" stringers away from'the meshing pointinfsyni-i" chronism' with the stringer-formation andmesh- 1 ing- While the'machine'has been describ'ed as -z' having the stringers .travel-- downwardly, this 'is' relative only, and-theapparatus'may-be changed in polsition' by degrees to provide horizontal" rave The described m'achine assures positive en gagemen't-of the fastener elements ina simple; efficient manner,- and is particularly effective in' backwards mesh arrangements. Theadvance opening of the elements of one stringer assures interfittingof the fastenerelements;'and'positite' meshing of the latter 'is' effected by the synchro' nized movement of pawl 45.

Although I have shown of the groove within the province of this invention-to form such slot 38 in groove 20 leading from either channel 25" or 25; it is further within the province of the invention to providetwo such slots '38,'respec groove 20 and leading fromtively disposed in channels 25 and 25"and in such embodiment two pawls' 45 are mounted for reciprocation'in 'syn-" chronism with the Double 'Head mechanism through the link or rod-connections with the'' fastener element attaching mechanisms or"th'e" Double Heai While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown'and described'indetail to illus.-" trate' the application "of the principles thereof, it should be understood" that the" inventio'n m'aybe" otherwise embodied without departing from'suchr actuating means therefor in the principles.

I claim:

1.. Slide fastener assembling apparatus,.for iri-= termeshing'a pair "of stringers carrying 'equi a 'slot 38 at that" side ZOleading. from" channel 25","it' is spaced interfitting fastener elements having identical structure as they are delivered from a forming mechanism, comprising, in combination, means forming a pair of intersecting channels of equal Width for guiding a pair of stringers into converging relation at a meshing point with their attached fastener elements in opposed relation; mechanism for drawing the intermeshed stringers away from the meshing point; reciprocable pawl means extending into said channels at the meshing point; and means for positively moving said. pawl in the direction of movement of the stringers, in synchronism with said forming mechanism to successively engage each individual element of one stringer and move it into firm engagement with a matching element of the other stringer; said pawl being arranged to slide over the fastener elements in its return movement.

2. Slide fastener assembling apparatus, for intermeshing a pair of stringers carrying interfitting fastener elements as they are delivered from a forming mechanism, comprising, in combination, a base plate having a longitudinally extending groove formed in its upper surface and a pair of mutually converging grooves intersecting said longitudinal groove, each of said converging grooves being arranged to receive the fastener elements on one of a pair of stringers arranged on said base plate with their fastener elements in opposed relation; a cover plate cooperating with said base plate to complete the enclosure of said grooves and having downturned lips parallel to said grooves and terminating above said base plate to provide slots for the stringer tapes to extend laterally from said grooves; said converging grooves guiding the stringers into converging relation to intermesh the opposed fastener element; a slot in said longitudinal groove underlying the fastener elements on one stringer; an arm mounted beneath said longitudinal groove for oscillation in the plane of said slot; a pawl oscillatably mounted on the upper end of said arm and projectable through said slot to engage the fastener elements of said one stringer; means retaining said pawl extended during movement thereof by said arm forwardly along said slot, said means providing for retraction of said pawl on reverse movement of said arm; mechanism for drawing the intermeshed stringers away from the meshing points; and means for reciprocating said arm and pawl in synchronism with said forming mechanism to successively engage said pawl with each individual element of one stringer and move it into firm engagement with a matching element of the other stringer.

3. Slide fastener assembling apparatus for intermeshing a pair of stringers carrying interfitting fastener elements as they are delivered from a forming mechanism, comprising, in combination, a base plate having a longitudinally extending groove formed in its upper surface and a pair of mutually converging grooves intersecting said longitudinal groove at spaced points therealong, each of said converging grooves being arranged to receive the fastener elements on one of a pair of stringers arranged on said base plate with their fastener elements in opposed relation; a cover plate cooperating with said base plate to complete the enclosure of said grooves and having downturned lips parallel to said grooves and terminating above said base plate to provide slots for the stringer tapes to extend laterally from said grooves; said converging grooves guiding the stringers into converging relation to intermesh the opposed fastener element; a slot in said longitudinal groove underlying the fastener elements on one stringer; an arm mounted beneath said longitudinal groove for oscillation in the plane of said slot; a pawl oscillatably mounted on the upper end of said arm and projectable through said slot to engage the fastener elements of said one stringer; means retaining said pawl extended during movement thereof by said arm forwardly along said slot, said means providing for retraction of said pawl on reverse movement of said arm; mechanism for drawing the intermeshed stringers away from the meshing point; and means for reciprocating said arm and pawl in synchronism with said forming mechanism to successively engage said pawl with each individual element of one stringer and move it into firm engagement with a matching element of the other stringer; the spaced intersections of said converging grooves with said longitudinal groove eifecting a bending of one stringer to spread its fastener elements before meeting the other stringer to facilitate intermeshing of the fastener elements.

4. Slide fastener assembling apparatus, for intermeshing a pair of stringers carrying equispaced interfitting fastener elements having identical structure as they are delivered from a forming mechanism, comprising, in combination, a pair of intersecting channels of equal width for guiding a pair of stringers into converging relation at a meshing point with their attached fastener elements in opposed relation; a third channel for guiding the intermeshed stringers away from the meshing point; one of said pair of channels intersecting said third channel in advance of the other of said pair of channels, whereby one of the stringers is bent to spread its fastener elements before meeting the other stringer to facilitate intermeshing of the fastener elements; mechanism for drawing the intermeshed stringers away from the meshing point; means operable in synchronism with said forming mechanism to engage at least each element of one stringer and move it into firm engagement with a matching element of the other stringer; and means operable by said last named means to activate said drawing mechanism in synchronism with the forming mechanism.

FRED H. ROJAHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,855,272 Winberg Apr. 26, 1932 1,885,868 Siers Nov. 1, 1932 2,287,263 Nedal June 23, 1942 2,327,849 Wolfe Aug. 24, 1943 2,418,761 Dasher Apr. 8, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 442,328 Great Britain Feb. 6, 1936 

